Landis+Gyr and Ericsson join forces for smart meter reading in Finland

• Ericsson chosen by Landis+Gyr to deliver smart meter reading as a service for more than 700,000 smart meters in Finland
• Landis+Gyr partnered with Ericsson to secure evolving service offering for utility customers
• This nationwide engagement leverages Ericsson's managed services capabilities and strategic focus on the energy sector

Landis+Gyr, the global leader in energy management solutions for utilities, has chosen Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to provide smart meter reading and related field operations as a service for Landis+Gyr's utility customers in Finland. For Ericsson, this is a breakthrough deal in the Finnish energy sector that underlines the company's commitment to using ICT to meet the needs of the utilities industry.
To date, Landis+Gyr has delivered more than one million smart meters to multiple Finnish energy companies - the equivalent of delivering a smart meter to every third Finnish household in a country with approximately 3.2 million metering points. Ericsson will provide smart meter reading as a service for more than 700,000 of these meters, starting from October 1, 2014. As part of the contract, 13 Landis+Gyr employees based in Jyväskylä, Finland, will join Ericsson from the same date. Landis+Gyr remains responsible for the relationship with its customers.
Ari Tolonen, Managing Director at Landis+Gyr Finland, says: "This cooperation ensures strong expertise and resources for the smart metering services market in Finland. Ericsson has a long track record in delivering managed services, and a strong commitment to business development in the energy sector. Together we will be able to provide Landis+Gyr's utility customers in Finland with an ever-evolving, future-proof services portfolio."
Charlotta Sund, Head of Ericsson's Region Northern Europe and Central Asia, says: "The utility industry is one of the most connected in Finland as there is a smart meter for virtually every home in the country. With our expertise in connectivity and managed services and our strategic focus on the energy sector, we can support Landis+Gyr and its smart meter customers in making the best out of the opportunities that connectivity brings."
Currently, 98 percent of Finland's households are connected to smart meters. This makes the country a leader in Europe in smart residential metering.
The evolution of smart meter solutions and grids is a priority in several countries, including many within the European Union and the US. This process will eventually create smart energy networks that manage a huge amount of data, creating opportunities for efficient grid and consumption management and seamless integration of locally produced renewable energy.